Background on the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS)
The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) is a Mexican government agency responsible for administering social security programs, including healthcare and pension plans. It plays a crucial role in monitoring employment trends and providing insights into the Mexican labor market.
Key Findings
Job Creation: In August 2025, the job market saw a significant decline, with only 21,750 new positions created. This represents a 62.5% decrease compared to the same month in 2024, marking the lowest job creation rate in two decades.
Digital Platform Workers: Despite the overall decline, the total registered jobs remained high at 22,454,917, with August being the highest monthly total for this year. Of these jobs, 87.0% are permanent positions, while 13.0% are temporary or contract-based.
Annual Job Growth: The year-to-date job growth stands at 216,538 positions, translating to a 1.0% growth rate.
Digital Platform Workers’ Income Requirement
The IMSS reported that only 133,178 individuals working on digital platforms met the monthly net income requirement, as per the guidelines set by the Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social (STPS).
Impact and Context
The recent decline in job creation has raised concerns about the Mexican economy’s stability and growth prospects. The digital platform sector, which has seen rapid expansion in recent years, is now facing challenges due to stricter income requirements set by the STPS.
This shift may force many digital platform workers to seek traditional employment, potentially impacting the overall job market dynamics. Moreover, the slowdown in job creation could affect consumer confidence and spending, further influencing economic growth.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the IMSS? The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) is a Mexican government agency responsible for administering social security programs, including healthcare and pension plans.
- Why is the job creation rate important? The job creation rate is a crucial indicator of a country’s economic health and growth potential. A declining rate may signal economic instability or slowdown.
- What are digital platform workers? Digital platform workers are individuals who find employment through online marketplaces, such as ride-hailing, delivery, or freelance services.
- Why did the job creation rate drop in August 2025? The drop is primarily due to stricter income requirements set by the Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social (STPS) for digital platform workers, leading to fewer individuals meeting the criteria.
- How does this impact the broader job market? The decline in digital platform jobs may force workers to seek traditional employment, altering job market dynamics and potentially affecting economic growth.
